


the good moments in life

by Yukari



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, it's probably all going to be a part of the same post canon scenario, short and happy because that's all i write, woah i managed to post something on each day, written for shuake week 2k19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-16 07:29:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21032516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yukari/pseuds/Yukari
Summary: Short fics for ShuAke Week 2k19!Day 1 - Firsts: Ren and Goro celebrate the start of a new year together for the first time.Day 2 - Soulmates: the two of them talk about what it means to be soulmates.Day 3 - Reunion: their first meeting after the events that were supposed to be their goodbye.Day 4 - Deadly sins: Goro wonders what kind of palace owner he'd have been. Ren doesn't really like the idea.Day 5 -  Childhood/Adulthood: Ren wants to help Goro make up for the lost time (ft. Futaba)Day 6 - Angel/Demon: Ann drags Ren and Goro into helping out at a photoshoot.Day 7 - Theme Café: Ren works at a cat café for a day, Goro accompanies him.





	1. Day 1 - Firsts

**Author's Note:**

> technically i'm busy but what can be more important than shuake

“You can’t just do it like this, Ryuji, you’ll kill all of us!” 

“Seriously, is it your first time setting up fireworks? Maybe we should leave it to someone more reliable? Makoto, you do it!”

“W-Why me? I don’t really feel any more reliable than Ryuji!” 

“I’d like to remind you all that we don’t have much time left until midnight, so you should hurry up. Also, this was all your idea, Futaba.”

“Shut it, Inari! We have a former celebrity with us, we gotta entertain him somehow!”

She said that, but nobody was really paying any attention to the former celebrity, as they all crowded around the fireworks, trying to figure out how to deal with them. Sojiro was of course watching over them, to make sure they’re safe, but he also said it’s all on them. Ren was pretty sure he found it amusing to watch them panic.

“They have six minutes. Do you think they can do that?” Ren asked the earlier mentioned ‘former celebrity’, who was currently standing next to him and holding his hand, watching the group with a soft smile. 

“Doubtful,” Goro replied. “They seem to be enjoying themselves though.”

“That’s what counts in the end, I guess.” Ren laughed quietly. “Should we help them?”

“No, let them be. I’m having fun. They’re pretty amusing.”

Ren just smiled to himself, letting go of his hand and putting his arm around Goro’s waist instead, pulling him closer and resting his chin on his shoulder. 

“Is something wrong?” Goro asked, a hint of worry in his voice, as he put his hands over Ren’s. 

“No. It’s the opposite. I’m happy,” Ren muttered into the fabric of his clothes. “I’m very glad to have you here.”

Goro let out a quiet laugh, one that also sounded a little choked up, as he relaxed into his boyfriend’s embrace. They were really lucky nobody was paying attention to them. 

“You know… this is my first time celebrating the New Year’s Eve with anyone,” Goro said after a moment of silence. Well, silence between them, since the rest of their friends were still screaming. “Or starting a new year not alone, for that matter. It feels strange to think about it, but… I’m glad to be here as well.” 

Last year… everything was much more chaotic. It seemed like a distant memory now, and not a pleasant one. Goro was still… gone, somewhere, not knowing whether coming back was even a good idea. Ren was still in the arrest, with everyone trying to find a way to get him out of it. In the end, they both started the currently ending year alone, but… this time, it was going to be different. 

“Let’s make the previous year’s New Year’s Eve the last one you spent by yourself then,” Ren replied. “And this ‘first’, let’s make it a tradition.”

“...do you really think we’ll stick together for long enough for it to become a tradition?”

“Mhm, I do. From now on, every year,” he said. “We’ll do just fine, even if it’s still hard to believe sometimes.” 

Goro didn’t respond, just turned around in their embrace until he could put his arms around Ren’s neck and cuddle up to him properly. The only excuse they had for standing like that was the cold weather in the middle of the night. 

“I think this should work, everyone!” Haru’s voice reached their ears. 

“I sure hope so, we have like a minute left!” Ryuji added. “Who’s going to do the countdown?”

“Better leave Ren and Goro alone, they’re probably going to start making out the moment we reach midnight. Y’know, coupley stuff,” Futaba huffed. “Makoto, you do that!”

“Why me again?!”

“Weren’t you the one checking the exact time?!”

“It was me, actually!” Haru exclaimed. “We have exactly 12 seconds left!”

“Ryuji, Inari, take positions! Mona, move back, we don’t want to set your fur on fire.”

“Is that really a possibility?!” The cat screamed before getting picked up by Ann. 

“Seven! Six! Five!”

“Haru noooo delay this somehow!”

“She can’t delay midnight, you moron!”

“Three! Two! One!”

“Aaaaaaa I’m doing this!” 

As if on command, the sky was lit up with not only their fireworks, but also countless others, brightening the night with beautiful flower-like lights.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Everyone shouted at the same time, even Ryuji and Yusuke, who were busy handling the fireworks. 

Everyone except for Ren and Goro, because predictable as it was, the moment the countdown reached one, they automatically leaned in for a kiss. 

No matter how many times Ren kissed Goro, he couldn’t get enough of the feeling of soft lips against his. He could do it all the time, with an excuse or without it. It was both exciting and relaxing, it just felt right...

Well, maybe it just wasn’t the right activity for a moment like that. They pulled away after a few seconds, flushed, with the light of the fireworks dancing in their eyes. 

“Happy first kiss of the New Year, honey,” he said, watching a smile blooming on Goro’s face. 

_ The sky might be pretty right now, but you’re the most beautiful. _

“You know, Ren… let’s make it a tradition after all.”


	2. Day 2 - Soulmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this week is just an excuse for me to write fluff i swear

“Hey, Goro, you’re a Gemini, right?” Ren asked, running the fingers of his free hand through his boyfriend’s hair. They were lying on their bed, Goro with his head on Ren’s chest and his eyes closed. He looked like he was about to fall asleep under Ren’s touch. 

“What’s with that question…?” He muttered. “Wasn’t it you who boasted about having memorized every important date related to me?” 

“I do remember them, just making sure.” Ren smiled to himself, moving his gaze back to his phone. “Ann is sending me some horoscopes. Apparently Gemini and Sagittarius are supposed to have great luck in love this week. Isn’t that nice?” 

It was a rhetorical question. Ren didn’t need an answer for it, since every moment he got to spend with him felt like a blessing. He felt Goro’s body shake slightly as he laughed quietly. 

“You believe in things like that?” 

“I spent a year with some supernatural weirdos assigning my friends tarot cards, horoscopes don’t seem much worse. Oh, she sent me another thing. It says that Gemini and Sagittarius are a great match in love in general. Basically soulmates.”

More muffled laughter. In Ren’s opinion, Goro’s genuine laughter was one of the prettiest sounds he’d ever heard. He wished he could kiss him right now, but he seemed comfortable like that. 

“And you think that term suits us?” Goro asked, still sounding amused, but also… somewhat unsure. 

Of course. Ren knew it was always like that, and Goro’s thoughts were often plagued by uncertainty. Was it really alright like that? Were they really meant to be? 

One would think that after everything they went through to reach this point, there would be no doubts anymore. Even after everything, they still ended up in each other’s arms. Realistically speaking, there was more effort involved here than fate alone. But… 

“So what if I do?” He said, his tone lighter than he expected. “We were no doubt bound by destiny from before we even met. There were some troubles along the way, but look at us now. We’re so in love.” 

Luckily, it made Goro laugh again, as he sat up and changes position so he was now lying by Ren’s side, their faces close enough to just lean for a kiss. And that’s what Ren did, pressing their lips together for a short moment. 

“Even if you say that, it seems like we sort of lack all the other elements,” Goro said. 

“Of being soulmates? And what would these be?” 

“Going by literary tropes… aren’t soulmates people who’d do anything for each other?” 

“I’d kill a god for you, honey,” Ren laughed, pulling him closer and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Wouldn’t you do the same for me?” 

“This question is unfair. You already did kill a god, and I can only speak in a hypothetical manner,” Goro complained with a sigh. 

“I sure hope no other god to kill appears, it was a pain in the ass. Anyway. Any other arguments?” 

“Uhm… soulmates… understand each other without words?” He suggested. 

“And how does this not apply to us?” 

"I talk a lot. I'm surprised you've never told me to shut up yet."

"Yeah, but you talk just because you like to, not because I need additional explanations," Ren snorted at Goro's desperate attempt. "And I can always tell if you're lying or hiding something."

"Well, thank you for pretty much calling me an open book. You're no better," he snarked in response. 

“See? Now you’re just contradicting yourself. Nobody aside from you thinks I’m easy to read.” 

Seeing that he was fighting a losing battle, Goro just opened his mouth and then closed it, not finding any arguments against what Ren just said. Instead of protesting, he just hid his face in the crook of his boyfriend’s neck. 

“I can only do that because we spend so much time together…” he mumbled, his breath tingling Ren’s skin.  _ God. He’s adorable.  _

“Another thing supporting my cause, we’re inseparable.” 

“I myself don’t know how this happened. I give up though, you win,” Goro laughed again. “Sometimes even I can’t outtalk you. What else does Ann’s horoscopes say?” 

“That our sex life is great, with no shame or pressure at any side, and that we’re also creative with it,” Ren replied, feeling himself grin. “I think it’s true, but can you confirm that?” 

The only answer he got was Goro grabbing a pillow, lying on the side until now, and then attacking Ren with it. The crime he committed was probably embarrassing him, and that was, of course, unforgivable. 

“H-Hey, we can talk this through!” He protested, trying to grab the pillow and take it away from his attacker. 

“Wasn’t it you who claimed we understand each other without words?”

“If that’s how you put it…” 

Instead of trying to take the pillow, he wrapped his arms around Goro’s waist and rolled them over, so he was on top, and grabbed Goro’s wrists to pin them above his head. Now he could easily see his cheeks were red.  _ Adorable.  _

“So... how do you feel about checking if the horoscope was right?” 

“Kiss me and I’ll consider it,” Goro said, his voice clearly teasing despite his flushed face. 

Ren uttered only four words before fulfilling that request. 

“As you wish, love.”


	3. Day 3 - Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello gaymers this one is longer because i really enjoyed myself

_ I wouldn’t be surprised if this note was only an inconvenience to you and you preferred to forget about me forever. However, I decided it’d be unfair to let you believe I’m really dead, when, unfortunately, I’m not. If you choose to meet me at least one last time and make things clear between us, come to Inokashira park, this Friday at 7pm.  _

Clutching a piece of paper with this written on it in his hands, Ren sat on the train. He didn’t hesitate even for a moment whether he wanted to meet this note’s author or not. 

Of course he did. But there was so many things he was feeling at the same time. 

He recognized the handwriting immediately. None of his friends could bother to make a piece of art of every word they wrote, and this whole message was beautifully calligraphed. None of them would also play a prank so cruel on him, and no one else knew he was spending the summer in Tokyo…

And almost no one, aside from them, remembered of Goro Akechi's existence. It was as if he was gone for good. 

Yet, this note was slid under the door of Leblanc while both him and Morgana were still asleep. The cat was actually the one to find it and pass to Ren. Mysteriously, Futaba claimed she knew nothing, despite her definitely having the entrance to the cafe bugged as well. 

The only way to learn anything was to actually take the invitation. 

Why now though? Why after all these months of being convinced that he failed to save someone who needed his help the most? Why now, when he was finally beginning to accept that he needed to move on and let go of the memory of a boy he once thought he loved? 

Was he still ready to let him back into his life, after everything that happened, or would this really be their last meeting?

He wasn't sure, but if he knew anything for certain, it was that he never wanted it to end like that. Someone like Akechi didn't deserve to just suffer his entire life and then throw it away. Ren wanted him to live, but to decide if he wanted him in his life... he had to see him. To talk to him, and simply sort things out. Only Morgana knew where he went, but he agreed to stay at home. It was between Ren and Akechi, in the end. 

The walk from the station to their meeting spot wasn't long. Not long enough for Ren to prepare himself mentally. 

The boy he was meeting wasn't trying to hide. Ren could easily spot him, sitting on the wooden fence near the pond. For a moment, he has to wonder if he got the right person though. Akechi looked a lot different from the prim and proper detective Ren remembered him as... His hair was longer and tied up in a ponytail. He also looked skinnier, more pale, with dark circles under his eyes… that paired with the most inconspicuous clothes Ren ever saw him wear made him look like a completely different person. Not a celebrity, but… just a very tired teenager. 

Ren knew the look on his face. He often wore it while sitting at Leblanc for hours, not wanting to leave because then he'd have to face his horrible reality again. This expression suited him more than the plastic smiles, Ren thought. It seemed way more natural, made him feel real. Like someone who's still a living, breathing,  _ feeling  _ human being, not just a puppet.

But in the end, he always wanted to see Akechi smile more. That beautiful, genuine smile he'd seen… maybe twice, at most. 

When he noticed Ren approaching him, his eyes went wide for a second. As if he was surprised that he even appeared… or maybe he was scared, of facing him.

Just like Ren was. 

"You actually came. I didn't really expect that… You're even early," he said and stood up, instantly recollecting himself. His voice sounded the same as Ren remembered it. Not the desperate screams of someone driven into a corner in that goddamn engine room, just the soft spoken detective prince. For some reason, Ren felt annoyed. 

He figured out why the moment Akechi gave him the worst fake smile he'd ever seen. Driven by an impulse, not even stopping to think about it, Ren… 

...punched him right in the face. 

Akechi staggered backwards, bringing a hand to his cheek. That had to hurt, Ren knew it, but he didn't say anything, just stared at him with an unreadable expression… and then, that indifference faded, giving place to something much more vulnerable and lost. 

"You know what, I can't even blame you… I deserve th-"

Before he could even finish that sentence, Ren closed the distance between them and pulled the surprised boy into a tight embrace. Akechi's entire body went still, and though he didn't protest, letting Ren do whatever he wanted, he seemed too confused to react. 

"...why?" He finally uttered, raising his hands, but unsure if he should hold the other boy back. 

Ren, on the other hand… couldn't stop himself. 

He thought Akechi was dead for months. Over half a year. He wasn't though, and decided to come back. He was here, trembling and looking as if he was about to cry, not knowing how to react to a hug.

Breathing. Warm. Alive.

"Seven months. That's how long I mourned you, asshole," he choked out somehow, feeling too overwhelmed to say anything else. He just clung to Akechi as if the other boy would disappear instantly if he let go now. After a moment, that could be both short or long, he wasn't sure… he felt Akechi hesitantly close his arms around him as well. Where Ren was forceful and desperate, he seemed too scared to act. 

"You did…?"

"Mhm."

He didn't really know what to say. Where to start. There were too many things that were left unsaid between them, and it looked like neither of them which one was the most important. 

"I'm sorry," Akechi whispered, resting his cheek on Ren's shoulder and finally beginning to relax. "It probably sounds empty but I'm really sorry. For everything."

"You think this will solve everything?" Ren asked, holding back tears. No apology would fix this mess. Nothing would erase the betrayal, what happened in Shido's palace, or the months of blaming himself for not trying harder. 

But Akechi definitely knew that, and probably nobody blamed himself more than him. 

"No. That's not my intention at all. I just… I…"

"You what?"

"I… I wanted to see you. I know I'm being selfish right now, but I thought… that maybe just one time, it'd be fine."

"No, it's not fine."

"I'm so-"

"No, stop it. You can't just walk back into my life and then leave. I'm not going to let you do that," Ren said, making his decision in that moment. He moved his hand upwards, to rest it on Akechi's head. It was supposed to be a reassuring gesture, but he probably was mostly thinking about himself. About how to stop Akechi from disappearing again. “I’m not saying you’re forgiven. This, you’ll have to earn. But you can’t do that if you just run away. You’ll… have to stay… with me…” 

“Ren…?” 

“S-Shut up for a moment…” 

He didn’t even notice when the dam broke and tears rolled down his cheeks. Was it because he was relieved, or because he was happy, or maybe for some other reason, he couldn’t tell. In the end, the result was the same, as he cried into Akechi’s shoulder, feeling way less embarrassed than he probably should. 

It definitely felt better than crying on his own, in the cold of a winter evening, standing in front of a toy store window.

“I want you here,” he said through the tears. “I want to finally learn what kind of person you are, what are your likes and dislikes, actual hobbies that aren’t just for show. I want to know. I… want to know how you really feel about me. And how I feel about you. I don’t know anything.” 

“I don’t understand you,” Akechi replied to his outburst, sounding like he was about to cry himself. He still held him through it, caressing his back gently. “I really don’t get you. You’re the real mystery, not me.”

“Then stay and learn. Please,” Ren muttered. “Come with me to Leblanc. Let’s talk.” 

“About what?” 

“Everything. What you’ve been up to for the past seven month. Your plans for the future. Or mine, if you don’t have any.” 

“What’s the poin-” 

“Goro. Please.” 

The use of his first name probably wasn’t something he expected, but it seemed like it simply melted something in him. A second later there was a hand in Ren’s hair, threading through it so very gently, as if the person it belonged to never wanted to bring him any harm. 

Even if it seemed like an unfunny joke when looking at their past, maybe the future would be more merciful. 

“Alright. I won’t run away anymore,” Goro whispered, and Ren smiled to himself. 

Maybe second chances weren’t a total myth. Maybe there was still something good waiting for them. 

“Welcome back, honey. It took you a while,” he said, causing Goro to let out an awful snort of a laughter.  _ How charming.  _

“I’m glad to be back… and sorry to be so late."


	4. Day 4 - Deadly sins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a very loose interpretation of the prompt but i refuse to get sad

_ You're really an interesting guy. You don't say much, but you are courageous and quick to take action. If we were in a different position, perhaps we could have been rivals.  _

_ You really are something… You're never bound by your past, or your relationship with others. Your heart is always free. The opposite of me. I envy you from the bottom of my heart.  _

Goro still remembered his own words loud and clear, even though a lot of time had passed since then. Well, back then, he really meant it. Or he thought he meant it. It didn't really matter now, when his life had already been turned on its head in the meantime and it was proven that the person he was so envious of, and tried to convince himself he hated… wanted nothing more than just keep him by his side. 

Wasn't it stupid? To feel like that about someone, and then learn they never returned the sentiment, and in turn adored you, even though you saw yourself as worthless. 

Envy was such an idiotic feeling, one that ruined too many possibilities for him already. Sometimes he wondered, if he had a shadow, what would it say? Which one of all the toxic emotions he carried in his heart would it represent? 

"...ro? Hey, come back to me, from wherever your mind went." 

Goro blinked, suddenly brought back to the present by a warm voice. Ren was standing over him, smiling when he finally got the attention he was trying to gain. 

"Can I ask why are you lying on the couch upside down?" 

"Oh, I was just… thinking. About stuff," Goro replied, smiling back, because as gloomy as those thoughts were, that wasn't his reality anymore. 

"Upside down?"

"Upside down." 

"You're impossible sometimes," Ren laughed, sitting down next to him. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Only if you don't immediately assume I'm being needlessly self-deprecating."

"I'll trust you on that," he said, reaching out to gently stroke his boyfriend's cheek. Goro instantly leaned into to touch. "What's on your mind?"

"I was wondering… You told me that back then, each of your targets represented a deadly sin. If you changed my heart too, which one would I be?" 

"They already took all of them. Nothing left for you." Ren shrugged, moving on to play with his hair. He didn't like thinking about what ifs, and though he tried not to show it now, he probably wasn't pleased. Ren was very down to earth. In Goro's eyes, he was always a few steps of him, preferring to aim for the future instead of dwelling on the past that couldn't be changed. 

Goro's mind was always full of what ifs, going so far into the past that he couldn't even recall well what was the original turn of events. Being with Ren was good for him, since he was the one keeping him grounded. Them being opposites worked surprisingly well once they ended up being on the same side.

The biggest irony in it was that it was Ren who’d waver when faced with those what ifs. Goro would not, because he learned to navigate them and keep his eyes on only one thing. Ren would prefer to have just one, clear path in front of him. 

“This is just purely hypothetical,” he said. “Just wondering what my palace would have looked like. Just one sin would be hard to pick.” 

“Hmm, I think most of them don’t really suit you. Or more like, didn’t. Back then, I mean,” Ren replied. 

“You’re just telling yourself that,” Goro snorted. “I know I was pretty awful. Wrath? Check. Pride? Check. Though I still think envy would be the most fitting.” 

“So, like Sae-san?” 

“I don’t think it would be completely like that… But I feel like that’s what was eating away at me the most back then. Envy of everyone who had it better than me.”  _ Especially you, because I couldn’t understand how much you were carrying on your shoulders,  _ Goro thought, closing his eyes. Talking about it was surprisingly easy now, when so much time had passed already.

“Do you… still feel like that…?” Ren asked hesitantly, even though he probably knew the answer. 

“No, I wouldn’t say I do. I’m pretty content with my life right now,” he said, and it felt very satisfying to know it was the truth. Swinging his legs down, so he was now fully lying on the couch, he laid his head in Ren’s lap and gave him a smirk. “What about you? What sin would you be guilty of? Probably nothing serious enough, I suppose. ” 

“Hey, you can’t know that!” Ren protested, grinning down at him. 

“The great Joker having a palace? Hard to imagine. What distorted desire could you have?” 

Upon hearing this question, Ren’s expression grew a little more serious, but there was something unbearably soft in his eyes. 

“Well… There was a time when I really wanted something I couldn't have,” he confessed. “I suppose this could be called being greedy.” 

“Something you couldn’t have…?” 

“You.” 

Before Goro even processed his words, Ren leaned down, shutting him up with a kiss, and Goro, being himself, couldn’t do anything but return it, wrapping his arms around Ren’s neck and kissing back with just as much enthusiasm. 

Ren knew it was a good way of shutting up both his speech and thought processes. 

“So. Whenever you start thinking about things like this, it’s because Futaba made you watch some new show,” he stated when they pulled away to finally breathe. “What was it this time?” 

“Fullmetal Alchemist. She claimed it’s a classic and not having seen it is a crime.” 

“Well, she’s right. Nobody told you to find Envy relatable though.” 

“You-” Goro let out, taken off guard. “I didn’t! I definitely didn’t!” 

“It’s okay, they were pretty relatable sometimes.” 

“I’m going to make you sleep on the couch tonight.”

“You won’t.” 

“Fine, I won’t. I’ll kick you off the bed if you bully me though.”

“I won’t, I won’t,” Ren laughed, kissing his forehead. “It’s just fond teasing. You know I love you.” 

And somehow, Goro did know, and somewhere along the road he came to believe it was true. 


	5. Day 5 - Childhood/Adulthood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is the longest, and probably my favorite thing written this week ;;;

“What are you kids even doing…? Whose idea was this?” Sojiro asked, watching Futaba microwave a pack of supermarket popcorn. 

“Mine, actually,” she said, pointing in the direction of the living room. “We’re socializing our old-new addition to the team.”

“Does he really need it? Wasn’t he supposed to be pretty good at that?”

“Oh, that was all for show, back then. We’re discovering a completely new Akechi Goro right now. He’s hilarious,” she commented, giggling. “Also, he’s not very comfortable around anyone but Ren, so we’re socializing him slowly. It’s my turn tonight. Well, Ren and Morgana are also here.”

“The cat is probably the most responsible one out of you all,” the man sighed, glancing towards the door. He could hear the sounds of the TV and a conversation too distant to make out what was being said. Things seemed to be peaceful so far. 

Well, probably because nothing was really happening. 

“So, if I press this button here, I make the character jump?” Goro asked, holding the controller and leaning against Ren’s side on the couch. 

“Mhm. And this one is for attacking,” the other boy commented, shifting slightly to make their position resemble a hug more.

“Oh, I see,” he muttered, pressing the buttons to test the moves. A satisfied hum escaped him as he confirmed he got it right. “This is pretty fun, actually. I can understand why Futaba-chan and Sakamoto-kun like it so much.”

The girl went to the kitchen while leaving him with the task of figuring out the controller before she came back, so they could play against each other later. Goro suspected he was going to get utterly destroyed, but he wasn’t going to give up without a fight, even if he didn't have much experience playing video games. 

“You seem pretty determined,” Morgana said from the other side of the couch. “I thought you were a newbie?” 

“Because I am,” he replied. “But isn’t trying new things supposed to be exciting?” 

“You’re like a child,” Ren laughed, with no hint of mockery in his voice. “I think it’s cute. I’ll be cheering on you.” 

Whenever he said something like that, Goro’s feelings would still momentarily go wild. It was an unknown territory for him, someone being openly affectionate towards him without any ulterior motives… It felt strange, but it wasn’t unwanted. Just… made him feel funny, in various ways. 

“If I get all competitive and then lose terribly it’ll be bad,” he sighed, ignoring the warmth blooming in his chest. “Also, I’m not a kid…” 

“Around us, you can be,” Ren said, smiling softly. “Nobody will judge you. Definitely not me, Goro.” 

“Here you go, being embarrassing again….” 

“I don’t see you protesting against cuddling with me, which means it’s probably fine.” 

“You guys are terrible, I leave for five minutes and you’re already getting all handsy.” They heard Futaba’s voice, and a moment later something landed on Goro’s head. 

“Hey, don’t waste food,” Ren said, catching the piece of popcorn and throwing it into his mouth. 

“Did you seriously just eat it? Awful.” 

“Five seconds rule. It wasn’t even on the ground.” 

“Five seconds rule?” Goro asked, finding himself unable to understand what they’re talking about, again. 

“You don’t know that? If you drop something to eat and pick it up before 5 seconds passes you can still eat it. It’s a classic,” Futaba said, putting the popcorn bowl on the table and picking up her controller before flopping onto the armchair. 

“Sorry, I’m afraid I… lack some of the childhood experiences most of people have,” he mumbled, suddenly feeling insecure. Even something small like that… 

“Don’t worry, we’ll make up for that,” Ren said, sneaking his arm around him to put it in his hair and press a kiss to the side of his head. “Sometimes you just gotta ignore the fact that you’re a young adult and be a kid.” 

“This group always behaves like it’s full of toddlers,” Morgana stated, making Futaba snort, but Goro only squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears that tried to force their way out. 

Accepting kindness was harder than he thought, and he was ending up on the verge of crying much too often for his liking. He didn't like showing weakness. 

"Goro? You okay?" Ren asked, gently stroking his cheek with a thumb. 

"Y-Yes, I'm sorry…" He muttered, trying to wipe the stray tears away before anyone noticed, but it was too late. 

"Oh, come on," Futaba laughed, basically jumping from the chair onto the couch and shoving herself onto the spot next to Goro, even though there wasn't much space left there, then leaned against his side. "You really are an adult-sized baby." 

"S-Shut up, I'm not crying…"

"I never said you were, it's your words," she said. "Go ahead, I'll just pick single player until you're done." 

That magically made his desire to just tear up completely even harder. He didn't even realize when Morgana got up from his spot and jumped into his lap, as if he was some comfort animal. They really were treating him like a child, and it was sort of frustrating, but at the same time sitting in the middle of this improvised hug pile was making it hard to get angry for real. 

"No, it's alright, I'll play," Goro said, straightening his back. "That's why we organized this sleepover, right?"

"That's the spirit! Let's get started then. And you're forbidden from just handing the controller over to Ren."

"Who'd even do something like that?" He laughed, wiping at his eyes.

"Inari would. I like your attitude though."

"I'm just here as the mental support," Ren said, leaning against Goro in turn. "He's a fast learner, so don't be so sure of yourself."

Once they finally got started, Goro quickly proved that statement to be true. The competition also didn't take long to escalate into a death match, as Goro kept switching characters to figure out which one would work the best against the one Futaba was using, and, to her horror, he was getting better at it much faster than she expected. She returned to her armchair pretty quickly, as it seemed the couch wasn't big enough for rivals who ended up yelling at each other. Sojiro even came to check up on them, but in the end he just waved his hand and left them be. 

"Aghhh I won't tolerate this! I can't let some newbie beat me after just a few hours!" Futaba exclaimed, dropping to her knees to turn off the TV. "Enough for today, Ren and Morgana are probably already falling asleep!"

"I'm awake…"

"Me too, this is fun-"

"They're not asleep, and you're being a coward right now!" Goro protested. "I almost won just now, it's not fair!"

"It is! My console, my rules!" 

"You're just scared of losing!" 

"Hey, Mona, is this what Makoto described as siblings vibes?" Ren asked, and both of them snapped at the same time.

"We're not similar!"

"We're nothing alike!"

"Will you kids finally be quiet?! How old are you?!" Sojiro's voice interrupted their little quarrel, making them go still. It seemed like they completely forgot they weren't alone in the house. “For god’s sake, it’s late. All of you, to beds, right now!” 

“Y-Yes, Boss!” Goro and Ren replied right away, while Futaba just grabbed Morgana and sprinted upstairs as fast as her legs allowed her to. 

“You two can take the guest room, there are futons you can use,” the older man said with a sigh. 

“Oh, one would be enou-” Ren tried to say, earning a smack to the back of his head from Goro. 

“Not under my roof,” Sojiro replied. “Do whatever you want when you’re alone, but when you’re in this house, you’re gonna be decent.” 

Goro could feel his face burning while Ren simply covered his mouth with his hand to muffle his laughter. 

“I-It’s not like tha-” 

“This is not my business.” The man just shrugged before leaving them alone again, and when he did, Goro covered not only his mouth, but entire face with his hands. 

“This is a disaster…” 

“It’s just his way of joking, don’t worry about it,” Ren said. “I’ll turn Futaba’s console off and then, let’s go to sleep.” 

Goro watched him turn the TV on just to do that, and when Ren was done, he took his hand to lead him to the right room. Goro had never been to the Sakura residence before, and he suspected this is what kids felt like during their first sleepover at a friend’s house. Excited, but a little lost. 

Not much later, they found themselves lying side by side, with Ren crawling into his futon anyway. 

“Didn’t you hear what Boss said?” Goro asked, still smiling despite that. 

“Come on, it’s not like he’s going to check on us. We’re just going to cuddle anyway,” he replied. “Like always, you have cold feet.” 

“How nice that I have a personal heater now,” Goro joked, but his expression was probably betraying that something was bothering him, as Ren placed his hand on his cheek, caressing it. He understood him too well sometimes.

“Everything okay?” He asked, and though he didn’t urge him to talk, Goro knew that if he tried to lie, Ren would feel hurt. He really was trying to make this work. 

“I… made Futaba-chan upset, right? Maybe this game night wasn’t a good idea after all…” He muttered.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” 

“By the end, we pretty much started arguing…” 

“You think she was seriously angry about that?” Ren laughed, running his fingers though Goro’s hair just to make a mess of it. “She bickers like this with almost everyone. Actually, it’s a good sign when she does that with you. It means she’s comfortable enough around you.” 

“You think so?” 

“Mhm. You worry too much.” 

“It’s hard not to worry when just a short while ago I was convinced all of you hate me,” he said, and Ren’s expression turned more serious too. “I still don’t feel like I know what any of you think about me.” 

“Well… for starters, I think it’s pretty obvious Ann likes you. Didn’t you say she sends you dessert pics and says stuff like ‘wish you were here’?” 

Goro couldn’t help but snort at this. She really was doing that, sometimes even promising she’ll take him to that place next time. 

“...what about Sakamoto-kun?” 

“He thinks you’ve become pretty okay since you stopped acting like you have a stick up your ass.” 

“Kitagawa-kun?” 

“Yusuke finally has a conversation partner who knows what he’s talking about, you think he’s complaining?” 

“Niijima-san?” 

“She keeps asking if you want to hang out, but she doesn’t want to stress you out. I know you two never particularly got along, but she wants to start again.” 

“...Okumura-san?” 

“Didn’t she bake you a cake the other day, when you mentioned that you never got a birthday cake before?” 

She did. She even did the frosting part herself. Goro started crying the moment she said it was for him, and needed good ten minutes to calm down completely. This group just kept on surprising him. 

“...what about you? How do you feel about me?” He asked before he could stop himself. 

The night was really pretty, and neither of them bothered with closing the curtains. With the pale light falling into the room from outside, Goro could easily see the moment Ren’s eyes widened at the question. 

He shouldn’t have asked. Ren already told him he didn't know, and that he wanted to learn about him first. Asking now was just pressuring him into finding an answer on the spot. He shouldn’t have asked. 

“I’m sorry, you don’t have to-” Goro tried to say, but seeing Ren smile at him made him stop in the middle of the sentence.

“It’s alright,” he replied, shifting to lean on his elbow and press a kiss to the crown of Goro’s head. “I now realize some things need to be said out loud.” 

“I-”

“What I want to say is, I love you.”

For a moment, silence filled the room, with Goro being too stunned to even utter a word. He didn’t expect it. Not now, probably not ever. Those were words he wasn’t supposed to hear. Not when directed at him. 

“When you were gone, for a while I thought that… maybe me being in love with you was just a lie I fed myself,” Ren said, his tone soft and loving as he continued to touch Goro gently. “Because in the end, I knew nothing about you. But now I know, and I still feel the same. I’m still in love with you.” 

He tried to blink the tears away, but it was a useless effort. Where were they even coming from? Was it because for years he forbade himself from feeling a thing, and now all of that was trying to make its way out? Was it why he wanted to cry so often? 

“I should’ve said it a lot sooner, I know. I spent months regretting I didn’t. Even if it wouldn’t have changed anything… It’s something you should’ve known. That there’s someone who cares about you and wants you in their life.” 

“I don’t understand how can you still… say something like this to me. I don’t get it at all,” Goro whispered. “I don’t get you.” 

“Look, I can’t turn back time and fix the things that already happened. No matter how much I wish I had met you sooner so I could grow up with you, we can’t make that come true,” Ren said. “But we can make the best of the time we have now. It’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Life doesn’t have to be all bad things.” 

Goro wanted to believe in that, even though it sounded too good to be true. Nothing in his life ever went the way he wanted, so at some point he just accepted it was going to be a story with no happy ending. 

But Ren was determined to show him he was wrong. That it could still be alright. 

“I… Me too. I love you, I mean,” he muttered. “Uhm, this… doesn’t really sound as romantic as what you just said. I’m sorry.” 

“That’s fine,” Ren laughed quietly. “And I know.” 

Of course he knew. It seemed like Goro was always way too transparent in Ren’s eyes, whether it came to his evil plans, or simply just feelings. 

But he didn’t have to hide anything anymore. He could finally be honest, and it felt so, so good, to finally stop keeping everything inside. To be able to show when he’s irritated, to cry when he felt like crying, to love someone instead of just being driven by hatred. 

In the middle of that night, with moonlight seeping through the window and almost no sound in the world aside from the rhythmic breath of someone about to fall asleep… 

Goro realized, that for the first time in his life...

He felt free. 


	6. Day 6 - Angel/Demon

"Where exactly are we going right now?" Goro asked as he followed Ren from the station. 

"Huh? I was pretty sure I mentioned it earlier…" He muttered in response. 

"You just said something about Ann-chan messaging you and asked me if I'm alright with going out. So, what is it?"

"Ah, just… Ann requested some emotional support. She got called in for a photoshoot without being notified about it earlier, there was something about none of the models who were supposed to take part in that shoot showing up, and they consider Ann reliable…" Ren explained, trying to stay on the right way to the place of which location their friend sent him. "She just likes when someone is with her in situations like that, and Shiho couldn't make it today." 

"Ah, I see. Well, I don’t really mind. Now I understand why we stopped by the bakery,” Goro said with a hum. “Though I don’t think it’s fair of her employers…”

“She could’ve refused, but she said she’s pretty much friends with them and wanted to help out,” he replied. They were in a part of the city he normally doesn’t visit much, but it should be fine… “I think I see her.”

The moment the girl noticed them, she smiled at them and started waving. Ren could hear Goro laugh quietly at that sight… He and Ann really got along well. 

“I’m happy you guys made it! It’s been pretty chaotic today, we still don’t have enough people… They’re trying to find someone available on such a short notice, but that’s not easy,” Ann said with a sigh. “Oh, do I see this right? Did you bring me something?”

“It’s supposed to be a reward for your hard work, you don’t get anything now,” Ren replied, making the girl frown at him. 

“Come on, don’t be like this. Goro-kun, tell him something.”

“He paid for it, he has the right to even eat it himself,” his boyfriend pointed out. “That aside, what even caused the issue today..?”

“Apparently the male models refused to do this job on the last possible moment… I don’t get how you can be so unprofessional. Mika-chan was really mad when she heard about this,” she explained. “It’s probably they’d have to be kinda handsy with each other… me and Mika-chan don’t really have a problem with that, it’s just work.”

“Handsy…?” Goro frowned a little, but before Ann managed to say anything, someone approached them. Ren could only think it was the photographer, considering what he was holding. 

“Who is this? Your friends, Ann-chan?”

“Ah, yes. I hope them being here is not a problem!” She gave the man an apologetic smile, but… the man wasn’t even looking at him. 

He was staring at Goro, who in turn seemed pretty uneasy with that fact, shifting closer to Ren. 

“I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before…” He said, and Ren couldn’t not sense the irony of that. Goro used to be a celebrity after all. “Or maybe not… I feel like I wouldn’t forget a face like this. Boy, have you ever been interested in modeling?”

_ Oh, the irony. _

“No, not in particula-”

“Right, don’t you already have some experience, Goro-kun?” Ann asked, exposing him completely, oblivious of how just a second ago he tried to lie to get away from any uncomfortable situation. “Well, maybe not with modeling, but with being in front of cameras!”

“It was a long time ago… I don’t think I’d do any good right now.”

“What about giving it a try?” The photographer asked. “We don’t have anyone else available anyway, you’d be a big help. We’d pay you well of course.”

“I’m not sure this is a good ide-”

“Actually, if I do this…” Ann muttered, approaching Ren sneakily before reaching out and taking off his glasses. “This one is pretty attractive too! So if you convince one, you can get a two-pack!”

“Hey, Ann, you-”

“Now that you say that…” The man began to stare at Ren instead. “He is pretty good looking under the glasses. If you both agreed, it would be ideal. Though… are you comfortable with getting a little physical with each other?” 

“Oh, they’re pretty close, it shouldn’t be an issue.” Ann just waved her hand, seeing their horrified expressions. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Don’t worry.”

“In this case, it should be alright,” her boss said. “You also sort of fit the theme... What do you two think?”

Ren and Goro just looked at each other, then at Ann, whose pleading expression was making it hard to say no, then back at each other. Ren wasn’t exactly sure it was a good idea, since while maybe Goro did have some experience, he himself had none. On the other hand, he did want to help Ann… and it seemed like Goro felt like that too. 

_ Maybe it won’t be that bad. We can try to have fun if we’re in this together,  _ his expression seemed to say. In the end, Ren just nodded. 

“Fine,” Goro said with a sigh. “We can’t guarantee how well we’ll do though.”

“That’s fine, we’ll explain everything to you. Ann-chan, take them to the make-up squad.”

“Come on, it’ll be fun!” She said, grabbing Ren’s hand, who in turn grabbed Goro’s hand and pulled him along. 

He really didn’t know why they agreed to this.

*** 

They were told it was a photoshoot with the theme of angels and demons, and Ren obviously got assigned the demon part. 

_ Oh, the irony,  _ he thought once again that day while letting some very excited girl mess with his hair and face. It’s been a pretty long while since the collapse of the metaverse, and he no longer could use a persona, but summoning the Satan himself was a pretty memorable experience. Maybe that’s why he felt a little excited, actually.

He also couldn’t wait to see what they did with Goro. 

_ An angel, huh… That’s an irony on a completely different level.  _

“I’m done!” The make-up artist finally exclaimed. “You don’t really attract attention with the glasses on, but I think I did a really great job. You look pretty hot.”

“Uhm, thank you...?”

“No need to thank me, that’s my job. The other guy should be ready too by now, so, get to work, newbie!”

Not wasting time, he quickly got up from his seat and tried to return to the designated place. Even if it was a little exciting, it was also stressful. Ren never really liked to stand out in the real world. 

“Ah, here you are! I felt like this took ages, TV appearances never needed this much characterization…” Goro’s voice made him turn around, and then… 

…freeze for a solid moment. 

Well, to be fair, Goro did the same. They just stared at each other without any words. 

Ren didn’t really get to see Goro wear an all white outfit since their Phantom Thieves days, and while back then it seemed out of place for a thief, Ren always thought it suited him. Despite everything, he was always beautiful, in that kind of ethereal beauty. Soft features, long lashes, hair falling gently on his face… Even if it seemed ironic, the angelic aesthetic suited him. Though whoever did his make-up, they went all out. Ren hadn’t seen himself in the mirror, but something was telling him that with the red hues highlighting the color of his eyes, Goro looked more like a demon himself. One that was trying very hard not to show its claws. 

“Wow,” he just whispered. “I’m actually pretty glad we agreed to this now. This is hot.”

Goro looked like he was about to say something else, but Ren’s comment made him laugh instead. He came closer, but the moment Ren reached out to touch him he just grabbed his hand. 

“Not now. We can’t afford the hard work of the make-up artists to go to waste,” he said, giving him a smirk. “I can barely stop myself from kissing you right here. You might look a little too soft for a demon though. Maybe that was the intention?”

“I have no idea, but whatever photos they take of us today, I’m keeping them,” Ren muttered. 

“Hmm, I’m not sure I like the idea of the general public seeing you like this, but I also feel lucky to be the one to actually lay my hands on you. Just not right now,” Goro replied with a truly angelic smile, and Ren suddenly felt hot under the make-up. This felt like a promise. 

“What are you guys doing there for so long?” Ann suddenly appeared before them, wearing clothes in a similar aesthetic to Goro, but looking way less like a demon in disguise. She stopped abruptly upon seeing them. “Ah, I get it now. You sure look good like this.”

“Ann, I just have a really hot boyfriend.”

“I know.”

“He said I can’t kiss him right now because it’d ruin his make-up.”

“Well, that’s true?”

“This is going to be a torture,” he sighed, when both of them laughed at him. 

“Let’s go, the sooner you’re done, the sooner you can go,” Ann said, winking at them. “You look amazing, everyone’s going to love it.”

Ren wasn’t so sure of it, but at least Goro mercifully took his hand. 

At first they just watched Ann and her coworker do their part, trying to get an idea about what’s expected of them. The fact that once in a while Goro would just nod or quietly say ‘I see’ was a little unnerving. Finally, their turn came and Ren still had very little idea what to do.

“Relax, just do something similar as the girls. We’ll give you further instructions as we go!” The photographer said, giving them a thumbs up. 

“No problem, we are good at improvising,” Goro said, and Ren totally recognized that smile even though he hadn’t seen it in a while. The TV smile. It only made him more uneasy.

That’s when Goro put his hands on his waist and pulled him closer. 

“For a demon, you don’t feel to have much confidence today,” he whispered to him. “It’s okay, it’s just me. Pay attention only to me. The camera isn’t that important.”

“You say so…?”

“I do. I’ve got this, I know how to handle it, just trust me.”

“Oh, I do. With my life,” he said, finally managing to smile. Goro’s presence was comforting, even in a situation like this. 

“This is great!” The man’s voice reached him, but as he was told, he didn’t look away. “Akechi-kun, put one of your hands on your hip, and the other on Amamiya-kun’s shoulder. And look in my direction! Amamiya-kun doesn’t have to, the look of fascination is great.”

“Heard that? He liked the way you look at me,” Goro said quietly, turning towards the camera. “Fascination, huh? Do you really like this outfit so badly?”

Feeling bold, Ren put his hand over Goro’s and smirked. 

“You wear it quite well, but clothes only hide how beautiful you really are.”

Goro barely managed to stop himself from snorting. Admittedly, it was a pretty terrible pick up line, especially for someone who’d been dating for a long time. 

He didn’t even notice when his nervousness faded, and following instructions stopped being that hard. Just because he was with the right person. 

Still, he probably wouldn't want to repeat this experience anytime soon, even though Ann complimented them excessively after it was over, saying something about natural talent, or something of that sort. 

“I’m glad you didn’t wash the make-up off after it was over,” he still said on their way home. 

“And why is that?” Goro asked, raising one brow, and Ren just stroked his cheek with a thumb.

“Because my duty as your personal demon is to ruin it myself.” 

“You’re so embarrassing. It’s awful.” 

“It makes you laugh though!” 

“It’s out of pity for your humor sense.” 

“Keep telling yourself that.” 


	7. Day 7 - Theme Café

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finishing the week with something short and sweet!

Even long after their Phantom Thieves days were long since over, Ren still had the habit of helping out anyone who asked for it. And since he had quite a lot of friends around the city, it happened too often for Goro’s liking. In his opinion, Ren was too soft and one day he was going to pay for that. 

But oh well, it’s not like someone much worse than Goro himself would appear on his way, and if they tried, Goro would certainly find a way to deal with them before Ren could even complain. 

This time the favor he was asked wasn’t anything that bad though. Goro had no right to complain, and it sort of annoyed him, but at the same time it was difficult in a situation like this. 

“Who are you substituting for again?” Goro asked, doing his best to keep the frown on his face. He wasn’t succeeding. 

“Shinya. He said there isn’t many customers on days like this, but he had some business to take care of and needed help,” Ren replied with a laugh. “Come on, stop resisting.” 

“I’m not,” he muttered. “It’s that high school kid, right? Since when does he work at a cat café…?”

“Oh, it’s been a while. We just never ran into him before when visiting this place,” Ren said. He seemed to be enjoying himself while watching Goro have a staring contest with one of the cats, a black one with long fur, from behind the counter. “High school kids do all kind of jobs, I can confirm.”

“Even _you_ skipped a cat café.”

“Think about it, with Morgana always there, Leblanc was technically a cat café too.” He grinned, as if this argument was impossible to debunk and he just won a discussion. Goro just sighed. 

While Goro was more of a dog person, this place was actually quite cozy, especially during rainy days. The coffee was nowhere near as good as at Leblanc, but it was closer to their shared apartment, and… 

“Come on, Mister Porridge clearly likes you.”

“Who the hell names a cat Mister Porridge?! This is ridiculous,” Goro said, and Mister Porridge just meowed, as if confirming his words, and continued to stare at him. “How can you even tell he liked me…? He’s just… watching me.”

“After Morgana, I’ve acquired the ability to converse with cats.” 

“Morgana isn’t even a cat! All of us could hear him!” 

“You just choose to stay deaf now. He’s looking at you with love in his silly cat eyes. I’m almost jealous.”

“Of a cat?!”

“Just look at this.”

Ren left his spot behind the counter and approached them, but the moment he got closer, Mister Porridge got up and moved away from him, but closer to Goro. Then, Ren attempted to reach out and touch him, but the cat just gracefully avoided his hand. 

“See? He’s an asshole towards me. And he already let you pet him before.”

Goro hesitantly extended his hand towards the black cat, but the animal decided on another strategy, not wasting time and jumping into his lap. “W-Wait, I didn’t invite you here!”

“He’s a cat, he does what he wants.”

“I feel like you two have something in common,” Goro muttered, setting for patting Mister Porridge’s head. The cat seemed pretty content with that. 

“That’s why I’m jealous. There’s only place for one of us here,” Ren said. 

“Do I have to remind you who I am engaged to?”

The other boy just smiled brightly, as if this one question instantly lifted his mood.  _ So easy to figure out. _

“Of course it’s me. Hah, take that, Mister Porridge.”

“You’re absolutely ridiculous.” Goro couldn’t help but laugh, watching Ren lift his hand to show off the silver ring on one of his fingers to the cat. A literal cat. Not some talking creature, like Morgana. Just a cat. 

He lowered his gaze to look at his own hand, still resting on said cat’s head, with the same ring adorning it. A sign of the fact that they decided to spend the rest of their lives together. Technically, they didn’t need any formal confirmation of that, but… still. In a way, maybe they needed it in the end. Without it, or with it, they’d still be stuck with each other, he didn’t doubt it anymore. But this… it felt final. Like nothing was ever meant to tear them apart ever again. 

Goro needed to be ensured of a lot of things all the time. Of Ren’s feelings, whether he was still wanted. It’s not like he didn’t believe in Ren, no. It was himself he didn’t believe in. 

When Ren proposed… since then, it felt like he wasn’t allowed to doubt himself anymore. A few years ago he wouldn’t even dare to imagine himself being engaged, sitting in a cozy cat cafe with his fiance, who was currently cooing at another cat, one thar wouldn’t ignore him. He couldn’t even say it was a dream come true, because he never even dreamed of this. 

“Goro?” Ren’s gentle voice interrupted his thoughts.

“Yes? What is that?”

“Nothing. I love you,” he replied, smiling. “I just felt like telling you this.”

Before he even managed to process his words, the door to the cafe opened, allowing a single, red-haired girl inside. She was holding a bag over her head, most likely running from the rain. 

“Welcome,” Ren instantly said, ready to go back to work the moment a customer appeared. 

“Ah, sorry to be a bother, it wasn’t a planned visit,” she replied with an apologetic smile. “It’s the weather… but if I’m already here, I’ll order something and stay for a moment, the locators of this place seem pretty charming. You don’t to bother with me, just go back to your conversation.”

Goro watched Ren take her order and give her some tips regarding the cats. The ever so kind Ren who loved helping others… who in the end, wasn’t afraid of reaching out to him, too, even though he seemed to be beyond saving. 

_ I love you. I just felt like telling you this. _

The moment the customer picked her spot and started playing with a nearby cat, Ren returned to him. 

“Still not tired of accompanying me here?” He asked. “I hope not, because I’d die of boredom if left alone.”

“You’d live. You’re tougher than that,” Goro snorted quietly. 

“You hurt me, honey.” 

“You’re so dramatic sometimes…” Goro sighed again, picking the cat up from his lap and putting him on the floor, then leaning forwards and taking the other boy’s hand. “Ren?”

“Hmm? What is it?” 

Hearing the reply, Goro smiled. 

“Nothing. I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and with this, shuake week ends for me. thanks to everyone who read even one of those pieces, i had a lot of fun with writing them!! it was my first time participating in a fandom week properly and i'm happy it was for shuake ;;w;;


End file.
